Volume One, Chapter 8: Trouble for Zhi Yi

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Bo Congnan’s phone screen was still stuck on the social media interface. He had been waiting for me to send a message and question him. He didn’t know that I no longer had the strength to quarrel with him like before. Bo Congnan, my life ended the moment you abandoned me. Perhaps he was too exhausted. Leaning drowsily against the car window, he unexpectedly fell asleep. The ringing phone jolted him awake. He quickly picked up the call without even glancing at the caller ID and answered immediately.

“Shen—”

Before he could finish, a deep voice came through the line, “You brat, Zhi Yi hasn’t come home yet?”

“...”

Hearing the voice of Patriarch Bo, Bo Congnan was so frightened he couldn’t speak. Patriarch Bo doted on Shen Zhiyi the most, but he was recuperating in the hospital and did not attend the wedding. Later, when he learned that Bo Congnan had left the wedding midway to accompany Meng Xiangyi to a competition, Patriarch Bo called and scolded him harshly. Scared, Bo Congnan hadn’t dared to return home for the past week, mainly to avoid the patriarch’s reprimands.

Seeing Bo Congnan remain silent, Patriarch Bo continued scolding, “Don’t think that by not coming home or answering me, I can’t do anything to you! Bingqian has returned from abroad. He’s grown a lot these years. Under his management, Rapid Phantom Technology has flourished. I don’t think the Bo family business has to be handed over to you!”

At the mention of giving the company to an outsider, Bo Congnan immediately spoke up, “Grandpa—”

Patriarch Bo ordered, “If you still want to be the heir to the Bo family, then hurry up and bring Zhi Yi back. If anything happens to her outside, you’ll regret it!”

After saying this, Patriarch Bo mercilessly hung up the phone.

Irritated, Bo Congnan stared at the chat window with me, still receiving no response. He switched off his phone and headed towards the bridal suite.

This villa was the one I had chosen before the wedding. I didn’t like noisy places, so I picked a riverside villa. When the weather was good, sunlight would shimmer on the lake, creating a pleasant atmosphere. Unfortunately, I could no longer feel the warmth of the sun.

By the time Bo Congnan arrived, it was already three in the morning. The housekeepers had finished their shifts, and Wang Ma had gone to sleep in the adjacent room. The entire villa was empty and devoid of life.

Bo Congnan was afraid of the dark, but he was also proud and didn’t want others to know. When we were students, we once went to the equipment room to get something and accidentally got locked inside by the equipment teacher. He curled up in a corner, trembling with fear. Since then, I became the only person who knew his secret.

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So whenever I was home, I always left the lights on for him.

Bo Congnan looked at the pitch-black villa and confirmed that I still hadn’t returned home. Even the social media post he made was ignored. I thought he would worry, but he didn’t. Instead, he gave a cold smile and did not rush to find me. What I didn’t know was that he was thinking: maybe he posted too late, and I haven’t slept yet so I didn’t see it. When I see it tomorrow, I’ll be angry and send him a message complaining.

Feeling reassured by this thought, Bo Congnan turned off his phone.

In the past, whenever I saw him growing close to Meng Xiangyi, I would get angry. Love makes people lose reason. Even someone as cold as me was no exception.

Since Meng Xiangyi returned home, he would forget our dates and accompany Meng Xiangyi to train. When I went to the hospital for years of eye treatment, he went to buy the racing suit Meng Xiangyi liked. I didn’t notice when the distance between us began to widen.

At the very beginning, on the observatory deck, it was him who kept saying he liked me and wanted to protect me for a lifetime. But in the end, I was the only one who sacrificed everything for this love.

I stood behind him, my gaze growing colder. How could you be so heartless, Bo Congnan?

He didn’t enter the villa but turned towards the private club. Ever since I discovered his strange behavior with Meng Xiangyi, Bo Congnan liked to stay at the club whenever we argued. Besides yelling at me, his favorite tactic was cold violence.

By the time he arrived at the club, it was nearly five in the morning. Bo Congnan still showed no sign of sleepiness and downed several bottles of alcohol. Only then did he drift off, half-dazed.

He slept until afternoon, lying on the carpet, habitually reaching out to embrace something beside him. Accidentally, his hand knocked over a half-empty bottle of wine.

The bottle fell, spilling the wine on the floor and splattering onto Bo Congnan’s face.

The noise instantly woke him up. Sitting up, he looked at the mess around him and instinctively asked, “Zhi Yi, is there any water?”

After he spoke, there was no response for quite some time.

Bo Congnan stood up and looked around the cold, empty room before remembering—I still haven’t come home.

At that moment, Bo Congnan’s phone rang. It was an unknown number. He hurried over and picked up quickly.

“Shen Zhiyi, I advise you to stop. You’ve been out long enough.”

Bo Congnan had been worrying all night about how to explain things to Patriarch Bo. When an unfamiliar call came in, he assumed it was me. Without thinking, he started scolding on the phone.

Unexpectedly, the voice on the other end spoke calmly, “It’s me.”

Bo Congnan hesitated, “Jiang... Ze?”

Jiang Ze had been at the police station all night, responsible for receiving the anatomy professor sent by higher-ups. He was so busy he forgot to charge his phone.

“Why are you calling me?”

“Zhi Yi might be in trouble.”

Hearing this, Bo Congnan’s mind went blank; he nearly lost the ability to think.

“What... did you say?” It took him a long moment to find his voice.

“Come to the Nanjiang Police Station and see for yourself.”

The Shen family arrived at the Nanjiang Police Station almost simultaneously with Bo Congnan.

Bo Congnan hurried into the office, grabbing Jiang Ze with a serious expression. “What do you mean by what you said on the phone?”

Shen Yikang followed closely behind. “Exactly, Zhi Yi was fine. How could something happen to her? Officer Jiang, are you sure there’s no mistake?”

Seeing the two so nervous, I couldn’t help but smile. I had been dead for over a week; now you’re worried?

Jiang Ze had been relaxed when talking to Bo Congnan before, but now he was extremely serious, with a hint of irritation in his tone.

“Police investigations rely on evidence, not speculation.”

He then pulled out a bracelet of pale clam-shell color embedded with dazzling diamonds from behind him. Under the light, it was exceptionally bright and eye-catching. Alongside its brilliance, the bracelet bore a streak of blood.

“This was found by my colleague near the Jiang family’s old residence. As far as I know, this bracelet belongs to Zhi Yi.”

A body was found near the Jiang family’s old residence, and nearby was my bracelet. Jiang Ze couldn’t reach me. His suspicion that I was in trouble was hardly surprising.

Looking at the bracelet, a flicker of hope ignited deep in my heart.

This bracelet was a gift I received at eighteen, brought back from the United States by Bo Congnan. He should know it well.

Jiang Ze held the bracelet in front of Bo Congnan’s eyes.

Bo Congnan’s gaze fell on the bracelet, his brow furrowing slightly. “This isn’t Zhi Yi’s favorite color. The bracelet isn’t hers!”